1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packing apparatus for packing and shipping plasma display panel (PDP) modules and to packed PDP modules in the PDP module packing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical plasma display panel displays an image by utilizing a gas discharge phenomenon and exhibits superior display characteristics, such as brightness, contrast, afterimage, and viewing angle. Also, since the PDP can be thin and have a large area screen, it is expected to replace the cathode ray tube.
PDPs are generally manufactured through the following steps. First, electrodes, partition walls, and fluorescent substances are formed on glass substrates by screen printing. The glass substrates are sealed and evacuated and filled with a discharge gas as a PDP panel. A chassis, including a circuit board and a power supply, are assembled with the PDP panel as a PDP module. The PDP module, when partially finished, is shipped to a company where the PDP module is integrated into a PDP television set. The complete PDP television sets are delivered to customers.
However, since the PDP is thin and has a large screen, there is a possibility of damage by tiny vibrations and shock during shipping. Electrodes and partition walls may be damaged, or intrusion of foreign matter into a circuit portion may occur. Thus, to safely ship the PDP to a remote place, an appropriate packing apparatus is needed.
Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 9-309570 discloses a large PDP entitled xe2x80x9cLarge PDP Packing Apparatusxe2x80x9d. The large packing apparatus is used to package a large PDP. In this packing apparatus, a lower pad buffers shock applied to a PDP. A lower end of the PDP is inserted in the lower pad. The front or rear side of the lower pad can be separate. Also, the lower pad is inserted in a box supporting and fixing in place the inserted lower pad. The front or rear side of the box can be open. Thus, with no need to raise the PDP high, the PDP can be easily inserted in the lower pad so that the PDP inserted in the lower pad can be accommodated in the box.
Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 10-013768 discloses a PDP cover. The PDP cover includes a box-type container of which one side is open and a rib is present as well as a flexible mat. The PDP cover is installed on the front surface of the PDP so that, when an external force is applied to the PDP during shipping, damage to the PDP is prevented. A similar technology is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-2065.
However, the disclosed technologies are suitable for packing PDP television sets, not for packing PDP modules in a partially finished state.
To solve the above-described problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a packing apparatus for a PDP module in which a PDP module is coupled to a support member and the PDP module coupled to the support member is accommodated in a box together with a shock absorbing unit, so that the PDP module can be protected from external vibration and shock.
To achieve the above object, there is provided a PDP module packing apparatus comprising a plurality of PDP module packing units, each unit including a support member and a coupling unit for coupling a PDP module to the support member, for supporting and preventing deformation of the PDP module; and a plurality of shock absorbing units for receiving and supporting a plurality of PDP module packing units, a respective shock absorbing unit being locatable at each of upper and lower ends of a plurality of the PDP module packing units and receiving one of the upper and lower ends for maintaining spacing between PDP module packing units and absorbing mechanical shock.
A packaged assembly according to the invention includes a plurality of PDP modules, each module including a PDP display circuit board and power supply; a plurality of PDP module packing units, each unit including a support member and a coupling unit coupling one of the PDP modules to a respective support member, supporting and preventing deformation of the PDP module; and a plurality of shock absorbing units receiving and supporting the plurality of PDP module packing units, a respective shock absorbing unit being located at each of upper and lower ends of the plurality of the PDP module packing units, receiving one of the upper and lower ends, and maintaining spacing between adjacent pairs of the PDP module packing units and absorbing mechanical shock.
It is preferred in the present invention that the shock absorbing unit comprises a plurality of shock absorbing members, each shock absorbing member having a plurality of insertion slots spaced from one another, each slot for receiving an upper or lower end of one of the support members.
It is preferred in the present invention that the shock absorbing unit comprises a plurality of shock absorbing members for absorbing mechanical shock, each shock absorbing member including a first cushion including a plurality of insertion slots, each slot for receiving an upper or lower end of one of the support members, the insertion slots being spaced apart so that PDP module packing units having ends inserted into the insertion slots are maintained at an interval from each other and supported by the first cushion, and a second cushion connected to the first cushion by an assembly unit.
The first cushion may contain grooves receiving protrusions of the second cushion for easy assembly of the shock absorbing units. Preferably, the first cushion has a wall higher than the deepest part of the inserting slots in the second cushion for supporting PDP modules inserted in the slots. The first cushion is most preferably harder than the second cushion.